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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26708872">Down the Hatch</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDragon/pseuds/TheDragon'>TheDragon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aphrodisiacs, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Canon Era, Court Sorcerer Merlin (Merlin), Established Relationship, Frottage, M/M, Potions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:42:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26708872</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDragon/pseuds/TheDragon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Merlin realises something has gone terribly, <i>horribly</i> wrong the second he downs the potion. While the bad taste it leaves in his mouth is something he expected, the weird, warm feeling it leaves in its wake as it travels down his throat is decidedly <i>not</i>.</p>
</blockquote>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>411</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tavern Quest 1: Merlin Frottage Fest</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Down the Hatch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Writing this took two days. Editing it took twice that 🤣</p><p>Thank you Beri for beta reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Merlin realises something has gone terribly, <em>horribly</em> wrong the second he downs the potion. While the bad taste it leaves in his mouth is something he expected, the weird, warm feeling it leaves in its wake as it travels down his throat is decidedly <em>not</em>.</p><p>In his defence, it's been a while since he last made a mistake. The years spent as Gaius's apprentice and general dogsbody taught him pretty much all there is to know about flowers and herbs and such. He can name each of the plants mentioned in Gaius's books; knows how to recognise most of them by sight alone.</p><p>And yet, here he is, sitting in front of an empty flask with the completely unexpected—though not entirely unpleasant—sensation of heat pooling in his belly. Heart pounding, Merlin scrabbles for his copy of <em>Paeon's Practical Potions</em>, doing his best to ignore the way his cock is slowly hardening and tenting his breeches.</p><p>Spearmint, the recipe in the book says. And spearmint is what he used, is it not?</p><p>A glance at the cutting board tells him that no, it's not spearmint that he put in the potion. It's peppermint.</p><p>The explicitness of the curses that leave his lips would leave even Gwaine rosy-cheeked; Merlin spares but a moment to imagine the utterly scandalised expression that would appear on Arthur's face. He snorts. Immediately after, he starts flipping through the book in his hands, searching for any mention of someone committing the same mistake he did in the hopes that it will help him identify what it is, exactly, that he has concocted.</p><p>In truth—much as he might like to deny it—he’s pretty sure that he already knows what the potion does. There go his hopes for creating a magically enhanced potion to treat stomachaches—Merlin can practically see them flying out his open window, waving at him as they go.</p><p>Gods. Only he could end up accidentally making an aphrodisiac. It couldn't be something less extreme, no. Maybe a nice little tincture to cause dizziness or a brew that would make him break out in hives. Oh, no. Those would be mistakes entirely too easy for Merlin to fix, and why would the universe deign to give him one of those when it is obviously out for his blood?</p><p>Or, well, probably not his blood. Judging by the state of his too tight trousers, it is after something that was most decidedly <em>not</em> blood.</p><p>It takes an inordinate amount of concentration to make his hands reach for <em>The Complete Compendium of Nullification Spells and Potions</em> rather than into his breeches. The book is one Merlin has long since learned to always keep nearby—better to be safe than sorry, as Gaius always says.</p><p>Right now, Merlin is neither.</p><p>Ignoring the sweat beading at his temples, Merlin forces his fingers to curl around the edge of the cover and flip it open, immediately setting about searching through the table of contents. The section on potions he skips entirely; it isn't as though he has the time nor the focus to create one of those. He's just getting started on reading through the second page of listed spells—most of which are focused on reversing the effects of a love potion, which is close enough to Merlin's current predicament—when the door to his tower opens and Arthur barges inside.</p><p>"Where have you been all day?!" are the words he decides to greet Merlin with. At any other time, Merlin would have offered up a witty retort, but seeing as he is a bit preoccupied at the moment, he merely purses his lips and focuses on the words in front of him, wondering when it was, exactly, that they turned into nonsensical squiggles rather than any readable language.</p><p>Arthur, obviously unused to not being the centre of Merlin's attention, promptly grunts, pouts, and sits himself down at the table.</p><p>"The council meeting was an absolute bore," Arthur complains, stretching his arms out across the tabletop and almost knocking a wayward vial to the floor. "We had to listen to Lord Archibald go on and <em>on</em> about the importance of procuring new kinds of fabrics. Silks and cashmere and the like, as if I don’t have enough to worry about already. Gwaine fell asleep after five minutes. I think Leon was the only one of us who actually managed to pay attention to the entire thing."</p><p>Merlin jumps when Arthur's foot nudges his under the table, then shivers in pleasure when his movement causes his cock to rub up against the fabric of his breeches. It doesn't go unnoticed by Arthur, who narrows his eyes in something resembling suspicion.</p><p>Except that would be ludicrous. What would Arthur have to be suspicious of?</p><p>"You weren't there to distract me," Arthur says, looking up at Merlin from where he's spread himself out over the table, having shoved most of Merlin's equipment out of the way. His tunic is much nicer than what he usually wears, the material a vivid red and form-fitting in a way that shows off all of Arthur's muscles. It looks soft, too. Merlin imagines sliding his hands underneath it, trailing his fingers over warm skin up and up until he reaches Arthur's nipples. He knows from experience that they're sensitive. How would Arthur react to Merlin thumbing at them, running his fingernails over the stiff peaks? Would he moan and push into Merlin's touch? Or would he pull away, the sensation being just on the verge of too much? Would he let Merlin ease the tunic up over his head, bring his mouth down to replace his fingers and—</p><p>"What have you been up to in here?"</p><p>The words have Merlin startling. He forces his hands away from where they've started reaching for Arthur practically of their own volition and tries to bring his focus back to the book.</p><p>"Nothing," Merlin says, ducking his head to hide the blush that rushes to his cheeks. "Potions."</p><p>"Potions?" Arthur asks. Merlin can practically <em>hear</em> his raised eyebrow, the smirk on his face. "Tell me, how did <em>potions</em> get you into such a state."</p><p>Merlin jerks his head up so quickly he almost gets whiplash.</p><p>"What?" he asks, finally meeting Arthur's gaze. Gods, he could spend ages looking into Arthur's eyes. They're as blue as the summer sky, clearer than spring water, and framed by thick, blond lashes. Merlin blinks when Arthur starts saying something again, bringing Merlin’s attention to his lips. He comes to the abrupt conclusion that it's been far too long since they last kissed.</p><p>To Arthur's credit, he doesn't so much as twitch when Merlin leans across the table and smashes their mouths together. Merlin trails his tongue across Arthur's bottom lip, urging him to open his mouth so that he can deepen the kiss. Arthur obliges easily, letting Merlin take control—something he so rarely does when it comes to things like this.</p><p>They break apart when there is no longer breath in their lungs. Before Arthur has the chance to get a word in edgewise, Merlin uses his grip on Arthur's shoulders—when did his hands even get there, <em>gods</em>—to push him up and away, then launches himself across the table and lands in Arthur's lap, almost sending the both of them tumbling to the floor.</p><p>"<em>Mer</em>lin," is the only thing Arthur gets the chance to say before Merlin's lips are back on his skin, leaving kisses wherever they go—from the corner of his mouth down to his chin, nibbling their way across the outline of Arthur's jaw right up to his ear, under which Merlin starts sucking a love bite. He delights in Arthur's soft gasps and shivers of pleasure.</p><p>He almost loses it when their hard cocks rub up against each other, still trapped under too many layers of cloth. Moaning softly, Merlin presses closer to Arthur and grinds down against him. Arthur grips his hips tightly, no doubt leaving bruises that will last for <em>days</em>, bruises that Merlin will trail his fingers over again and again, recalling this moment between them and the sensations that accompany it—the taste of Arthur on his tongue, the firmness of his body against Merlin's, the sounds he makes when Merlin twines one hand into his hair and <em>tugs</em>.</p><p>The world feels fuzzy. Everything around him is a swirl of colours and meaningless shapes. Everything but Arthur, who is underneath him, pressed so tightly against him that Merlin no longer knows where he ends and Arthur begins. He leans his head against Arthur's shoulder, not once stopping the frantic movement of his hips, and shudders when Arthur does the same. The pressure has been building from the moment the potion touched his lips; now, here, with Arthur, it feels as though he's about to explode.</p><p>When he comes, hot and wet in his breeches, it’s almost as though he's flying, up so high that he can see stars. The blackness slowly recedes, making way to blond hair and sun-tanned skin and red linen. Arthur's warm breath ghosts against his ear, whispering sweet nothings that Merlin can't quite make out. He blinks once, then a few more times, and draws in a deep, shuddering breath, trying to stave off the stimulant coursing through his veins.</p><p>"I've got you, love," Arthur says when Merlin buries his face in the crook of his neck. "I've got you."</p><p>Merlin's shivers subside as Arthur runs his fingers along his spine, holding Merlin softly, delicately, as if he's no less fragile than glass.</p><p>"What brought this on?" Arthur asks, removing one of his hands from Merlin’s waist. The sound of glass clinking reverberates throughout the room, bringing with it the memory of what Merlin was working on when Arthur walked through the door. When he hears Arthur sniffing at something, he turns around, curious.</p><p>"Don't touch that!" he exclaims when he realises Arthur is holding the potion flask up to his nose. Immediately, Merlin reaches up to take it from him before he gets the bright idea to try to lick up whatever drops are left inside it. The last thing they need right now is yet another person consumed by the effects of the potion.</p><p>Gods, his own cock is no less hard than it was before, already gearing up for a second round.</p><p>"What is it?" Arthur asks, obediently putting the flask back down onto the table, far away from either of them. "What sort of potions have you been stirring up in my absence?"</p><p>"I. It’s," Merlin stammers, blood rushing back to his cheeks. "I. Um. It's an aphrodisiac."</p><p>His words are met with silence. When Merlin looks up at Arthur's face, he's met with a wide-eyed stare that quickly morphs into a smirk.</p><p>"Really?" Arthur drawls. "I didn't realise you had any issues with stamina."</p><p>Merlin gasps when Arthur's fingers dig into his arse. Gods, the longer this goes on, the less clear his thinking is. Already, his magic is fighting his grasp on it, eager to undress Arthur and toss him onto the bed so that Merlin can have his wicked way with him.</p><p>He blinks hard to clear the image from his head.</p><p>"I don't. Um," Merlin stammers as Arthur's fingers ease themselves past the drawstring of his breeches, leaving a trail of gooseflesh wherever they go. "I don't have issues. I was trying to make something else, and. <em>Oh—" </em>he moans as Arthur hands cup his arse, the tips of his fingers teasing Merlin's hole "—I made a mistake. Was s'posed to be something else."</p><p>"A mistake, you say?" Arthur asks, pushing the very tip of his finger past the tight ring of muscle. "And what would you have done if I hadn't walked through that door, hmm?"</p><p>"I would have—" Merlin swallows a moan as Arthur presses his lips to that one unfairly sensitive spot in the crook of his neck "—I had a plan. A spell. Something. Would've figured it out."</p><p>"Really?" Arthur asks, the disbelief in his voice louder than the words he speaks. "A plan."</p><p>Merlin's head spins when Arthur fixes his grip on him and abruptly stands up, taking Merlin with him. Instinctively, Merlin winds his legs around Arthur's waist to hold onto him as they move towards the bed at the other end of the room, hissing at the friction when his cock rubs against Arthur’s.</p><p>"Yes," Merlin says, quickly losing track of the conversation when he's deposited atop soft sheets and down pillows. Arthur undoes the drawstring of Merlin's breeches and eases them past his hips, exposing his hard, leaking cock. Eager and very much appreciative of Arthur's efforts to rid them of their clothing, Merlin uses his magic to make it disappear altogether, drawing a fond laugh from Arthur.</p><p>"You'll be the death of me," Arthur chuckles, straddling Merlin. His cock is in no better a state then Merlin’s, red and straining towards him.</p><p><em>He hasn't come yet</em>, Merlin realises, but when he reaches for Arthur's cock, his hand is gently nudged away.</p><p>"Not that way," Arthur chides. "I want to come with you inside me, see if that potion you drank is actually good for anything other than making wayward sorcerers jump their kings."</p><p>Bringing his gaze back up to Arthur’s face—Arthur is already reaching for the oil Merlin keeps in the drawer of his side table, <em>gods</em> the man doesn’t waste any time—Merlin concludes that Arthur is wrong about one thing—it won't be Merlin who will be the death of Arthur, but rather Arthur will be the death of him.</p>
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